


how am i going to be an optimist about this?

by thatmountainhermit



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, chat does a good, i was just inspired by pompeii, ladybug has a well deserved cry, let the girl have emotions dammit, this is not a songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmountainhermit/pseuds/thatmountainhermit
Summary: But if you close your eyesDoes it almost feel like nothing changed at all?Ladybug does some reflecting. Chat Noir does some comforting.





	how am i going to be an optimist about this?

**Author's Note:**

> like i said in the tags, this isn't a songfic. However if you want to listen to Pompeii by Bastille while reading this, I will not stop you  
(15/2/2020) Do not repost. I give permission for AO3 to host my fic, any other sites or apps must ask my permission before hosting my content.

It was never fun, being on your own. Being alone. Marinette knew that all too well, far too much past experience of lunches at home, lunches with her head in her design book, lunches in the library.

It was strange to think that had been her life less than a year ago.

It was strange to know it was how her life was heading again.

It almost felt like the last few months had been a strange, beautiful dream, sometimes. With her classmates hanging around at lunch, with Alya by her side, with Adrien just maybe being in her grasp. Being Ladybug. Having Chat Noir, her kitty and one of her closest friends.

Tonight, she was all alone. A different rooftop than usual, though - the agreed rooftop to meet for patrol, though Chat Noir was nowhere to be seen twenty minutes after the agreed time. She sighed as she finally just sat on the roof’s edge, closing her eyes. The sounds of the cars in the streets rose up, the wind brushing through her hair, the solid roof underneath her hands. 

With her eyes closed like this, it almost felt like nothing had changed. Nothing at all. Like she was just sad, lonely Marinette from a year ago. The only difference was she couldn’t even really feel sad, not when the threat of akumatisation loomed - and she was the only one who could defend against it.

Marinette opened her eyes once more, letting herself take in Paris. Her city. Her inspiration. Her home. She had promised them, promised every inhabitant, that she would protect them. It was the one thing that kept her going, now. The anticipation for each next akuma, the fight, the planning, the victory. It was all she had left, these days. A sorry state indeed, that Paris’ hero was in.

“My Lady?” She jumped, and turned to find a very apologetic Chat Noir. “I thought you might have gone on patrol without me. Sorry I’m late.” He spoke softly, crouching down when he reached her side. 

She shook her head. “It’s fine,” her reply was equally quiet, her reassuring smile plastic. “I wasn’t waiting long.”

Chat snorted, sitting on the edge himself. “I may not be the most social cat, My Lady, but even I know that’s a lie.” His gaze followed hers, crawling over the cityscape before them. “Did you want to talk about it, at least?”

“Not really,” She murmured, getting to her feet. She was stopped by a gentle hand around her wrist. “Chat, we need to go on patrol now-”

“Patrol can wait,” Chat replied quietly. “I’m more worried about my best friend than Paris.” He gently tugged her wrist again, looking up at her with those big, serious-sincere eyes, and…

And so she sat down again.

“I know you’re- I’m not the best with boundaries, but I have a friend who always says that a hug can’t hurt a bad situation, and-” Chat took a deep breath, then started again. “Do you need a hug, Ladybug?”

And she found that yes, she did. She very much needed a hug. 

A nod, and then Chat was wrapping an arm around her waist, shifting close enough that she could rest her head on her shoulder. He was the perfect height for it, too, and she was just _ so tired _, and it would only be for a moment…

“So,” Chat began.

“So,” She replied dryly.

“Penny for your thoughts?” He was trying. He was so bad at this. Chat said he was sheltered, but had he really never had to comfort a sad friend before? Points for trying, Marinette supposed. 

She paused, trying to figure out where to start. How to start. How she was going to keep it vague enough that her identity was safe. How to give enough that Chat would understand. With a quiet breath, then, she started. “I’m just so tired, Chat.” And that was the crux of it, wasn’t it? “I have to keep all these secrets - which means I have to lie, and I’m no good at it, and I hate myself everytime I have to lie. Then there’s all the akumas, and god knows how Hawkmoth can send them all the time, I’m pretty sure it’s my Ladybug luck that’s keeping my grades afloat. And I can’t be sad, or scared, or angry, just in case Hawkmoth sends an akuma to me, and it’s not fair!” 

Chat squeezed her slightly, saying nothing, letting her keep going. There was no stopping her now - she had broken the damn, and it was all spilling out. 

“I’m a teenager! I’m meant to be emotional, it’s literally part of growing up! And I’m _ terrified _ of feeling anything, and I’m so used to shoving it all down that I’m getting used to just. Feeling numb. And that’s terrifying too!” Her shoulders were rising up, hands balling into fists. She knew was getting angry again, hot tears burning her eyes. But Chat was here. He could protect her. He would protect her. She trusted him. “And there’s no one I can even _ talk _ to, because there’s someone turning all my friends _ against _ me, and it’s just like last year but it’s even worse because now I know what it’s like to not be alone anymore-” She took a deep, shuddering breath, and finally those tears broke free.

Chat pulled her to his chest, shushing her as she tried to talk. “It’s okay, Ladybug. Just let yourself cry. It’s okay, you can keep telling me after, shh,” he rumbled, “Just listen to my heart, listen to me breathing. It’s okay.” 

She buried her face into his chest, letting him pat her hair gently, holding her tight and safe. Eventually, she listened to him, counting the beating of his heart, trying to match her breath to his even rise and fall. Eventually, she pulled away, wiping at the leftover tears drying on her face. Eventually, she spoke again.

“Sorry.”

He merely shook his head. “Don’t be. It’s what friends are for, right?” His smile was soft, reassuring. Loving. “And you’re my best friend in the whole world, Ladybug. No matter what.”

“Thank you.” There weren’t words to express _ what _, exactly, she was thanking him for. Countless things. Immeasurable things. There was no phrase, no gesture, to truly express her gratitude. She hugged him tight nonetheless. “You’re the best friend anyone could ask for.” Her voice was muffled by his suit, but the answering hug told her he’d heard. 

“You know what I think?” He asked as he pulled away, his soft smile turning a little more mischevious, a familiar twinkle coming to his eye. 

“What?” 

“I think you can’t beat me to the Eiffel Tower.” It was so obvious. He really wasn’t subtle. Then again, he’d never claimed to be, had he?

“You’re so on, kitty.” She pushed herself up, unclipping her yoyo. 

His smile widened to a grin as he watched her, bouncing up next to her. “There’s the Ladybug I know and love.” He said softly. “Ready?”

“Always!” And with that, she was off, leaving a cackling Chat Noir.

And maybe it was the way that the wind tugged at her hair, or maybe it was the way Chat Noir shouted banter with her as they raced over rooftops, but she felt a little lighter than before. 


End file.
